William King (geologist) facts for kids
William King (born April 22, 1809 – died June 24, 1886) was an Anglo-Irish geologist. He worked at Queen's College Galway in Ireland. King was the first person to suggest that the bones found in a German valley called Neanderthal in 1856 did not belong to modern humans (Homo sapiens). Instead, he believed they were from a different kind of human, which he named Homo neanderthalensis. He proposed this name in 1863, and his ideas were published in 1864.
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Early Life and Work
William King was born in 1809. His father worked with coal, and his mother owned a shop. William grew up in Durham, England. He studied in Sunderland and learned different trades, like working with iron, selling books, and being a librarian. From a young age, he loved collecting fossils.
In 1841, he started working at the Newcastle museum. He stayed there for six years before leaving due to disagreements with his bosses.
His Work at Queen's College Galway
In 1849, William King joined Queen's College Galway. He had a long career there, publishing almost 70 scientific papers. He also helped create the geology museum at the college.
King developed courses to teach geology to students studying arts, agriculture, and engineering. He also worked as an examiner for geology at the university. His research covered many topics, like the structure of brachiopod shells (a type of sea creature), how rocks break, and how the Burren area in Ireland was lifted up.
Discovering the Neanderthal Species
King's most famous work was a paper published in 1864 called The reputed fossil man of the Neanderthal. In this paper, he looked closely at the Neanderthal bones found in 1856. He noticed important differences in their bones, such as their curved ribs and the way their skull muscles were attached.
Based on these differences, King suggested that the Neanderthal was a completely different species from modern humans. This was a very important idea at the time. He believed that Neanderthals were a separate, older type of human.
Family and Later Life
William King married Jane Nicholson in 1839. One of their sons, William King Jr., also became a geologist and worked in India. He even became the director of the Geological Survey of India.
William King was recognized for his work. He became a member of the Geological Society of France. In 1870, Queen's University gave him an honorary D.Sc. degree, which is a special award for his scientific achievements.
King retired in 1883 after having a stroke, but he continued to be an emeritus professor, meaning he kept his title. He passed away in Galway on June 24, 1886.
King's grandson, another William King (1910-2012), was also famous. He was a yachtsman who sailed around the world and an officer in the Royal Navy during World War II.
